Alright, I've decided for the most part that since some decent free weights would be cheaper and better, I'll probably make that choice. Of course as a distance runner I know nothing about the gym. I currently have nothing in the way of a home gym ('cept a pullup bar) so I need some help setting one up.

I need, as far as I know:
Set of dumbbells
bench
weight plates
some kind of other thing

I'm not sure about squats since I don't feel like killing myself, maybe I'll just stick with deadlifts.

So, can anyone point me in the right direction to find this stuff, what brands are good and what I need and don't need? Thanks.

Don't discount squats; they are the single most effective lift you can do for lower body strength. Combine them with deadlifts, the #2 lower body lift, and you'll build some serious strength. Don't worry about "killing yourself", just start with light weights (even just a dumbell in each hand) and practice doing the lifts with perfect form. Gradually increase the weight as you get stronger. If you lift with good form, you're no more likely to injure yourself doing squats than any other lift.

That said, your home gym setup really depends on your goals, your budget and the space you have to work with. Many people on this forum are going the power rack/adjustable bench/Olympic weights route. This would likely be everything you would ever need. But it might be more than you want to spend and/or take up more space than you have available.

I guess I would start small and make it scaleable. Get a 110lb standard barbell set with dumbell handles and a quality adjustable bench. You can do a lot with this setup, and you can add a power rack and Olympic set later if you want to. None of these items will be money wasted, even if you do trade up later.

Lower body strength is a pretty big goal, so I guess I should do squats. And I have a good amount of space to work with, once I do a little cleaning, so I don't think that'll be a huge problem. As for budget, I was willing to spend 1600+ on a Bowflex but decided free weights were a better choice, so a price in that area would be fine, and from what I understand if you shop around and maybe buy a few things used you can get some nice stuff on the cheap.

Any reccommendations on brands, suppliers etc.? A dumbbell set would be a good place to start, and a bench + barbell.

Any reccommendations on brands, suppliers etc.? A dumbbell set would be a good place to start, and a bench + barbell.

A simple bench (that is, a long seat), a pair of gloves, and a set of dumbbells goes a long way. I'd recommend solid metal dumbbells, in increments of 5 lbs to 70 lbs. Buy whatevers cheapest by the pound (hey, no moving parts to screw up). There's very little you can't do with dumbbells, so that's a great place to start. Iwent for months using only these things - you can achieve a full (and demanding) workout with a minimal set up (Including squats).

As far as a PROPER workout bench goes, I can't say enough good things about Powertec's utility bench. You will also need some sort of rack - again, I'd say powertec - their stuff is rock solid.

I'd also recommend getting olympic weights over standard home (plastic filled with concrete) weights. You can usually find a nice set at Sports Authority for relatively cheap.

I'd also recommend getting olympic weights over standard home (plastic filled with concrete) weights. You can usually find a nice set at Sports Authority for relatively cheap.
Definitely avoid the plastic stuff. By "standard" weights, I'm referring to the smaller iron plates with a 1" hole. Standard barbell sets usually come with a 5- or 6-foot bar and a pair of dumbbell handles. Here's an example from Sports Authority:

http://www.thesportsauthority.com/product/index.jsp?productId=122957&cp=710956.710958.693997&clickid=mainnav_browse_txt&parentPage=family

This was my choice over an assortment of fixed dumbbells, because I figured it was more versatile and would take up less space. But either would work just fine. I got my 110-lb standard set from Play it Again Sports for about $80.

I did a little research and came up with the Powertec power rack and Powertec utility bench as the best for both cheapness and reliability, and then found out it's the same ones John uses in his home gym. Sounds pretty good. That came out to $539, and I can get the weights used.